Pecos Police Searching for Grocery Store Burglar

2008-02-26T00:43:38Z2008-02-26T01:27:54Z

By Wyatt GoolsbyNewsWest 9

PECOS - The search is on in Pecos for a man Police said broke into a La Tienda grocery store. Officers suspect a total of three men may be to blame: One man who broke inside, and two other men who may have helped. Those two were arrested this morning near the La Tienda grocery store for public intoxication. Meanwhile, the third suspect is still on the loose.

There is no longer a danger if you regularly shop at La Tienda on South Eddy Street in Pecos. However, it was a bit of a scare Monday morning. Several Maintenance men told NewsWest 9 they came into work around 5:15 AM to find a burglar inside.

Police said the employees (not the burglar) accidentally set off the alarm. Officers showed up minutes later to find evidence of a break-in inside. When they checked the back of the store, they found two more suspects under the influence sitting in a pick-up. Those men, 24-year-old Lacy Castillo and 41-year-old William Snipes Junior, are now behind bars and are being questioned about what the burglar inside was looking to steal.

"We found where the individual tried to get into a safe in the store, was unsuccessful, and we found two trash bags full of cartons of cigarettes with a crowbar and a sledgehammer in the store," explained Chief Clay McKinney.

In addition, officers sent items back to their lab to figure if the burglar left any fingerprints. Police are hoping with all evidence left behind, they hope to make another arrest.